A local organization is helping bring some comfort to homeless children this winter. Family Promise of Forsyth County and several other agencies will distribute comforters to those in need, as part of a program with an online retailer.
The Company Store, which sells bedding online, is sponsoring a "Buy One Give One" event this month. A free comforter will be given to a homeless child for every comforter purchased during the campaign.
The store is collaborating with non-profit agencies across the country to help distribute the blankets, including Family Promise of Forsyth County. Debbie Butner, Executive Director of the Kernersville-based organization, says dozens of local families will receive the donations.
"We are receiving 200 comforters to help spread the word about what The Company Store is doing - and we are hosting a hot dog dinner and comforter giveaway for the families that we serve," said Butner. Family Promise will give some of those comforters to other agencies within Forsyth County that also serve homeless children.
Butner said she hopes the program will help bring more awareness about homelessness in the Triad.
"Homeless families is a population that stays hidden," she said. "They are either couch surfing, or motel surfing, hiding in their cars. We serve about 18 families a year at our organization but the school system has seen more than 600 students in our county that have been in a homeless situation."
The comforters will be distributed to families in need tomorrow afternoon between 4:45 and 6:00 p.m. at the Family Promise Day Center in Kernersville.